Large birds of the lowland dipterocarp rainforest

Hill Myna - Tiong Mas (Malay)
Gracula religiosa

 As part of the agro-forestry practices at the Kambatik Park, oil palm trees and many other fruit trees as well as landscaping ornamental trees are mixed in a new landscape to encourage maximum ecological diversity.  The idea is to preserve and enhance the rainforest ecology from 0-50 meters above sea level as  represented by the original forest formation at the park.  The idea of developing the nature park is to conserve the birds habitat and other wildlife.  Many very tiny, small to medium-sized birds (8-20 cm) and large birds will come out of the forest and forage the forest edges, plantation and cultivated gardens to look for insects, nectar etc. The park provides shelter, food, water, and nesting sites for these birds. Over a space of about a year and a half, I have noticed many large birds that come perching on tall dead trees, and leafy branches of jungle trees in the botanic islands and mixed planting areas.  Here's a few of these large birds for study purposes and a quick reference that were observed at the park.

Lesser Coucal - But-But Kecil (Malay)
Centropus bengalensis

Oriental Pied Hornbill - Enggang Betulang (Malay)
Antracocerous albirostris

Chestnut- breasted Malkoha - Cenok Birah (Malay)
Phaenicophaeus diardi

Jungle Crow in silhouhette
Corvus macrorhynchos

Small to medium-sized birds of the lowland dipterocarp rainforest

Ornamental trees along the road

  As part of the agro-forestry practices at the Kambatik Park, oil palm trees and many other fruit trees as well as landscaping ornamental trees are mixed in a new landscape to encourage maximum ecological diversity.  The idea is to preserve and enhance the rainforest ecology from 0-50 meters above sea level as  represented by the original forest formation at the park.  The idea of developing the nature park is to conserve the birds habitat and other wildlife.  Many small to medium-sized birds (8-20 cm) will come out of the forest and forage the forest edges, plantation and cultivated gardens to look for insects, nectar etc. The park provides shelter, food, water, and nesting sites for these birds. Over a space of about a year and a half, I have noticed many small to medium-sized birds that come perching on twigs and branches of tall trees in the botanic islands, mixed planting areas and many open grassland spaces here.  I have taken some pains to compile these pictures and to identify and group them under their family names in this posting for study purposes and a quick reference of the kind of birds that can be observed at the park.

Blue -throated Bee-eater (Merops viridus)
Family : Meropidae - Bee-eater family

Blue -throated Bee-eater (Merops viridus)
Family : Meropidae - Bee-eater family

Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthrepes malacensis)
Family : Nectariniidae - Sunbird family

White- breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
Family : Artamidae - Wood-swallow family

White- breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
Family : Artamidae - Wood-swallow family

Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)
Family : Columbidae - Pigeon family

Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)
Family : Columbidae - Pigeon family

Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis)
Family : Muscicapidae - Thrush family

Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis)
Family : Muscicapidae - Thrush family

Philippines Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis)
Family : Sturnidae - Starling family

Philippines Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis)
Family : Sturnidae - Starling family

Philippines Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis)
Family : Sturnidae - Starling family

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicuruc)
Family : Rallidae - Rail family

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicuruc)
Family : Rallidae - Rail family

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica)
Family : Rhipiduridae - Fantail flycatchers family

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica)
Family : Rhipiduridae - Fantail flycatchers family

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconotus goiavier)
Family : Pycnonotidae - Bulbul family

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconotus goiavier)
Family : Pycnonotidae - Bulbul family

Red-eyed Bulbul (Pyconotus brunneus)
Family : Pycnonotidae - Bulbul family

Red-eyed Bulbul (Pyconotus brunneus)
Family : Pycnonotidae - Bulbul family

Black-headed Bulbul (Pyconotus atriceps)
Family : Pycnonotidae - Bulbul family

Brown Barbet (Calorhamphus fulginosus)
Family : Capitonidae - Barbet family

Brown Barbet (Calorhamphus fulginosus)
Family : Capitonidae - Barbet family

Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus)
Family : Caprimulgidae - Nightjar family

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Lianas or climbers, rattan whips, decomposed leaves, numerous jungle tree species making up the original forest are preserved in three big vegetation islands within the farm. The strategy is to create a botanic garden around and within the forest environment.

Yesterday I started a new blog named " my Kambatik Botanic Garden". I guess this will be a lifetime adventure. It is something delightful and meaningful to me in order make a statement about the state of agroecological farming I'm developing at my eco-farm here in Bintulu.

Over the five years that I spent developing the eco-farm, I've always thought of making it an example of a sustainable oil palm cultivation business. What more to glorify it if not for the fact that along the way I can develop a botanic garden within the original habitat out of which the farm slowly evolved. Thus grew the idea of a botanic garden within a forest.

The blog will document the different species that were there originally and those that I introduced. Today, while making out a section of the mid-hill footpath at the vegetation island no.1, and trying to get pictures of the Caladium bicolour ( Angel's Wings) something dropped down from the canopy of leaves above. A tiny black bird was hopping desperately and trying to take flight but couldn't because it was too young to fly. I got hold of the bird in my right palm and there it was to my surprise, two startling red eyes caught me close and personal.

I think it is rare to catch a red-eyed starling bird. Today I consider myself lucky . Isn't it not what people say, " A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". Just like the idea of the botanic garden, to have one at my own backyard is worth more than just dreaming about it. What more could I ask?

A special attraction of the botanic garden will be a heliconia collection, besides collection of fruit trees, herbal and medicinal plants, landscaping plants ( interior, roadside, residential, edible), fernery, etc.,.

Integrated Oil Palm Farming in Bintulu

Part of Zone E of the Kambatik eco-farm.

Back in Bintulu I'm thrilled again on the development of my Kambatik eco-farm. Here I'm promoting the cultivation of oil palm in an agro-ecological perspective. For example, today I revisited Vegetation Island No.2. for the main reason that I was top-dressing and fertilising oil palm seedlings that were planted a year ago around the vegetation island. There were 8 nos that I managed to complete the tasks of clearing the debris, loosening the earth and finally fertilising the young oil palm trees and mulching them with decomposed leaves and organic matter that were in abundance insitu (see inset) . From the very top picture it is clear that some oil palm trees are planted in the open space between the two islands. But a year ago it was a real challenge to add more planting around the island while preserving the original vegetation and habitat of the island. Looking at the condition of the plants I'm convinced that the method is successful because the new seedlings are growing vigorously .

Inside the preserved islands is a complex story of symbiotic relationship between plants and animals, ants, fungis, betels, and many more living organism that contribute to the living habitat of the islands. In the above picture the lianas or climbers are used as a perfect station for the bird's nests fern ( Asplenium nidus).

Above is a view of Vegetation Island No.2, from Zone E of the eco-farm. At many of the fringes of the jungles or vegetation islands, I plant many species of local fruit trees. Chiefly among them are; Durians ( Durio zibethinus), Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum), Pulasan ( Nephelium mutabile) , Sour sop ( Annona muricata), Coconut ( Cocos nucifera), Bananas ( Musa), Mangoes ( Mangifera indica). This list is not exhaustive and my plan is to add more fruit trees in future making the farm a sort of mini-arboretum of fruit trees.

Horticultural plants are also part of the make-up of the eco-farm. There are attractive to sunbirds of various colours and types. Horticultural plants add colour the the green wash of the jungle and oil palm leaves.

My eco-farm has brought much pleasure, thrill and fun to me. It is special because I take great care to integrate the oil palm farming to an existing forest habitat or environment. Obviously, I'm not your conventional oil palm farmer because I believe sustainability is more important the short term profits.